Trekking abroad for charities at home

flanzer

I remember reading a thread about the Niall Mellon trust a number of months back and how it somehow attracts wannabe socialites and celebs etc etc and how it got on someones wick......

Well something got on my wick this morning. A certain Alan Hughes was on Ireland AM this morning saying he was just back from a 50km trek in Peru in aid of Children to Lapland Appeal and was heading to Thailand in November for another 50km gruelling trek. Keith Duffy is also going to Peru soon for a gruelling trek in aid of Irish Autism Action.

Don't get me wrong I fully respect these charities and as a father of a nine month old girl, I fully support them. In fact I have given quite a bit of money to IAA, as the company I work for, is one of it's major sponsors. But something clicked with me this morning. Why do we send people around the world to these poorer countries in order to raise money for charities at home? It's a real stick up 2 fingers in the face of locals who are probably in need of some charites themselves.

I would much rather see Alan Hughes trek over the hills of Donegal or up and down Carontoohill or a 50 Km trek through the streets of rougher,tougher sides of Moyross/Southhill or Darndale than travelling abroad.

What do people think? Am I a bit sensitive this morning?

thelordofcheese

it's spelt 'charity'

flanzer

thelordofcheese wrote: »

it's spelt 'charity'

Can a mod change that to 'Charities' please? I forgot the 's' at the end!

IvySlayer

flanzer wrote: »

Can a mod change that to 'Charities' please? I forgot the 's' at the end!

Double click on the topic title in the After Hours forum to change it.

TheZohanS

You're upset because someone decided to do a trek abroad rather than at home?

Solution: Don't donate. Or do your own thing for charity.

My name is URL

I get annoyed when I hear aout people going abroad to raise money for charity. It costs alot to insure someone trekking and it costs alot to get them there.

About 60% of the money they raise ends up paying for that stuff.

Call me cynical, but I'd tell any cnut that asks me for a donation so that they can walk in Peru to get the fuck right off

biko

I agree OP.

A lot of people pay money to go trekking and now we send celebs abroad for charity? I don't give a toss about celebs/publicity stunts, give the money to the poor.

walshb

And we have those lecturing us on our carbon foot print and these folks are jumping on bloody planes to fly half way around the world to go for a freaking walk?

It makes me question just how sincere and genuine a lot of this is!

Rabies

flanzer wrote: »

Can a mod change that to 'Charities' please? I forgot the 's' at the end!

No. I don't feel like working today.
Lazy and still feeling the effects of all the vodka last night.

Hit the edit button yourself

ejmaztec

I'd like to go on a bit of a pub-crawl charity walk in Sydney for the poor people of Ireland. Where do I get my free plane ticket? I don't mind making sacrifices, and I can also leave straight away.